The History Boys Characters

The History Boys Characters

 

Posner:

·         Quite

·         Jewish

·         Loves to sing and read

·         Is struggling to come to terms with his sexuality

·         In love with Dakin

Dakin:

·         Attractive, and aware of it

·         In a relationship with Fiona

·         Has both Posner and Irwin interested in him

·         Manipulative

·         Often/always  has sexual subtext

Scripps:

• Predisposed with exploring Christianity
• Writer, records events 
• Posner confines in him

Rudge:

• Star rugby player
• Surprises everyone with his wanting to go to Oxford
• Finds Irwin difficult to lean from
• Stands up to the ‘academic nonsense’ saying that Oxford will ‘take him if they want him’ so there is no point in lying 

Akthar:

• Muslim
• Happy to get involved with joking and teasing
• Will knuckle down with his work when it comes to it

Crouther:

• Keen actor
• Friends with Lockwwod

Timms:

• The joker
• Often subjected to hits from Hector
• Enjoys teasing Irwin

Lockwood:

• Shrewd film buff
• Interested in politics

The Headmaster:

• Stereotypical headmaster
• Only cares about the results
• No care or compassion
• Quite corrupt
• Understanding of the arts is limited
• Wants success for him and his ego, not the students
• Utilitarian, someone who only thinks you should learn things for a specific use

Mrs Lintott:

·         Traditional history teacher

·         Unfairly treated based on her gender

·         Plainly states facts

·         Gets excellent results

·         Has quite feminist views

·         Gives the only ‘human’ response to Hectors abuse

·         Sets Hector straight when trying to justify the abuse

Irwin:

·         A young history teacher

·         Employed to get the boys into Oxford

·         Believes in education to get pass exams

·         Believes history is a performance 

·         Wants the boys to learn to ‘win the game/ the exam’

·         Trains the boys to lie about what they are interested in to seem more interesting and original

Hector:

• Been at the school for years
• Doesn’t act like a regular teacher
• Loved by the students
• Believes in learning for the joy of knowledge
• Learns through doing, liberal attitude
• Hector sexually abuses the children at the school on the way back on his motorbike
• He is like a Thomas Harding poem character, he is meeting his inevitable and tragic end
• Brakes down in class near the ending of the play
• Wants the boys to tell the truth to the Oxford boards